The village of Monroe is in the pass on the mountain crest, the waters from the northern part of the village flowing northeast into the Hudson near Newburgh, and from the southern part of the village flowing southeast through the Ramapo, which rises in Round Island Lake, into the Passaic River. Eager, in his early history of Orange County, with prophetic vision, saw the beauties of this section. He wrote as follows: "These are the Grampian hills of Orange. While this elevated range is severed by many deep glens and valleys, the Alpine heights hold within their rocky crests, ponds and lakes of pure water, which glitter like diamonds in the noontide sun. Rude and forbidding as this region of hills and rocks and mountain crags may at first sight appear to the eye of a superficial observer, yet, to the true lover of nature in the exhibition of her noblest works, and to the practical mind of the really utilitarian, for a thousand purposes, the whole is well arranged and unsurpassed by anything of the kind in the county. Here are found without stint or measure, granite, mica or isinglass stone, and every quality of iron ore, with other minerals, treasures of present and future wealth to the nation. As early as 1778, during the war of the Revolution, the great chain passed across the Hudson at West Point, was made from the mineral of this region. In this respect as regards quality and quantity, the county of Orange stands unrivaled by any other in the State. "The time will come when these hills, mountains, deep glens and sparkling lakes, shall be the descriptive themes of some native bard, who like Scott or Burns, caught up in spirit and wrapped in poetic fire, will harmoniously weave them, one and all, into the thrilling lays of the lowland and mountain muse. The time will come, when these elevated heights of dreary aspect, these hills overhung and darkened with vines and forest trees, and these lakes of picturesque beauty, unknown to the common mind, decorated with the wildest garniture of nature, and visited by the wing of the wild bird, shall be associated in the minds of our children's children with all that is pastoral, pleasing and heroic. True, Monroe cannot be made equal in agricultural beauty to other more charming localities, and wave with a golden harvest; for though her hills and mountains may be denuded of their vegetable ornaments, they cannot be leveled down nor driven over by the plough-share; yet the time will come, when every nook and corner throughout the broad and variegated mass shall hold a freeman's cottage, teeming with life and highland cheer, whose tenants, honest and hardy, will sleep amidst the thunders which rock them to rest, and the lightnings that play around and gleam up their mountain dwellings."